Battery package containing porous wafer battery

ABSTRACT

A battery package comprises a plurality of porous wafer batteries and a housing enclosing the plurality of porous wafer batteries. Each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries may be a one-wafer battery or a two-wafer battery. Each pore of a plurality of pores of the one-wafer battery comprises a respective anode and a respective cathode. A first wafer of the two-wafer battery is an anode and a second wafer of the two-wafer battery is a cathode. The battery package further comprises a plurality of heating wafers and a plurality of cooling wafers. A cavity of the housing may be filled with a liquid.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims benefit of provisional patent applications 62/930,016, 62/930,018, 62/930,019, 62/930,020, and 62/930,021 because of a common inventor, Slobodan Petrovic. The disclosures made in the provisional patent applications 62/930,016, 62/930,018, 62/930,019, 62/930,020, and 62/930,021 are hereby incorporated by reference. The disclosure made in U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,639 to Cho, et al. is also hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a battery package. More particularly, the present invention relates to a battery package containing one or more porous wafer batteries.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Applications for vehicles or stationary apparatus require large size batteries. Currently, the industry standard for large size battery is to take standardized or proprietary small scale batteries and package them together to form a large size battery. For example, hundreds or thousands of 18650-type batteries are packaged together to form a large size battery. It is inefficient because each cell requires casing, packaging or housing. Thus, it lowers the energy density of the stack. It also induces problems for cooling, longevity and maintenance, and replacement. Some current players in the industry, Panasonic and Tesla, tried to introduce the 2170-type cell. 2170-type is larger than 18650-type. The large number of individually packaging cells requires packaging with complex heat distribution capability and interconnections between the cells. Other manufacturers also introduced larger cells including cells as large as 20 Ah, in a pouch cell package. It results in packing a large number of pouch cells stacked next to one another or in strings on top of one another. It is still inefficient and faces many challenges due to non-uniform current distribution, sensitivity of welded contact tabs and excessive heat generation issue. Those batteries are also expensive because each 20 Ah cell has a pouch package. In large scale manufacturing, it still does not realize a true cost effective package and application.

Therefore, there is a need for a high-power density, high current and low cost battery stack facilitating efficiently scaling the size of the battery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure does not require special packing used in current large-size battery industry. A battery stack contains a plurality of single cell batteries is formed.

A battery may be made by one or more wafers. Each wafer has one or more pores. Each pore may include an anode and cathode and form a single battery. Then, the single batteries are stacked. Each wafer may include many cells or batteries.

In one example, each wafer does not need an individual package. Wafers can be stacked together to form a larger battery. It facilitates efficiency in production, space reduction, and cost reduction.

A plurality of wafers may be stacked in a housing. The housing can be a solid housing. The housing may include tabs, slots or grooves for holding the wafers in place. The housing may also include electrical connectors to transmit current to and from the wafers to an external device or destinations.

Liquid or gas may be within the housing. Liquid or heat facilitates heat dissipation so as to reduce the temperature of the wafers. Other wafers including cooling or heating elements may be included in the housing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A battery package comprises a plurality of porous wafer batteries and a housing enclosing the plurality of porous wafer batteries. Each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries may be a one-wafer battery or a two-wafer battery. Each pore of a plurality of pores of the one-wafer battery comprises a respective anode and a respective cathode. A first wafer of the two-wafer battery is an anode and a second wafer of the two-wafer battery is a cathode.

The battery package further comprises a plurality of heating wafers and a plurality of cooling wafers. A cavity of the housing may be filled with a liquid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a battery package comprising a single porous wafer battery in examples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a battery package comprising a single porous two-wafer battery in examples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a battery package comprising a porous wafer battery and a porous two-wafer battery in examples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a battery package comprising a plurality of slots and a plurality of spacers in examples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a battery package comprising a plurality of slots in examples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of a battery package comprising a cooling wafer in examples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of a battery package comprising an anode tab and a cathode tab in examples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 shows a top view of a porous wafer and a slot in examples of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a battery package 100 in examples of the present disclosure. The battery package 100 comprises a single porous wafer battery 140 and a housing 120 enclosing the single porous wafer battery 140. The housing 120 is shown in transparent. The housing 120 comprises a cavity 122. The single porous wafer battery 140 is disposed in the cavity 122 of the housing 120. In examples of the present disclosure, the single porous wafer battery 140 is of a circular wafer shape. The housing 120 is of a cylinder shape. The single porous wafer battery 140 and the housing 120 share a same centerline 150.

In one example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 4 inches. In another example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 6 inches. In still another example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 8 inches. In yet another example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 12 inches. In yet still another example, a diameter of the single porous wafer battery 140 is 18 inches.

In examples of the present disclosure, the single porous wafer battery 140 comprises a plurality of pores 142 (shown in dashed lines in a side view plot). The battery package 100 does not contain another porous wafer battery. Each of the plurality of pores 142 comprises a respective anode 143 and a respective cathode 145. Each of the plurality of pores 142 is parallel to one another. A depth of each of the plurality of pores 142 is larger than a half of a thickness of the single porous wafer battery 140.

In examples of the present disclosure, the battery package 100 is communicated with an optional external system 192 (shown in dashed lines because it is optional) by a wired or wireless connection 191. The optional external system 192 may be a mobile device or a power grid in a house. The battery package 100 is connected to an optional heating device 194 (shown in dashed lines because it is optional) through a pipe 193 to heat up the battery package 100 in an initial ramping up state to increase efficiency. The optional heating device 194 may be a heater or a heat exchanger. The battery package 100 is connected to an optional conditional device 196 (shown in dashed lines because it is optional) through a pipe 195 to reduce the temperature of the battery package 100 during operation. The optional conditional device 196 may be a radiator, a compressor, or a heat sink.

In examples of the present disclosure, the battery package 100 excludes a wafer-level sub-housing 121 (shown in dotted lines because of being excluded) enclosing the single porous wafer battery 140.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a battery package 200 in examples of the present disclosure. The battery package 200 comprises a single porous two-wafer battery 230 and a housing 220. The single porous two-wafer battery 230 comprises a first porous wafer 240 serving as an anode and a second porous wafer 250 serving as a cathode. The first porous wafer 240 comprises a first plurality of pores 242. The second porous wafer 250 comprises a second plurality of pores 252. The housing 220 is shown in transparent. The housing 220 comprises a cavity 222. The single porous two-wafer battery 230 is disposed in the cavity 222 of the housing 220. In examples of the present disclosure, the first porous wafer 240 is of a circular wafer shape. The second porous wafer 250 is of a circular wafer shape. The housing 220 is of a cylinder shape. The first porous wafer 240, the second porous wafer 250, and the housing 220 share a same centerline 251.

In examples of the present disclosure, the single porous two-wafer battery 230 does not contain another porous wafer battery.

In examples of the present disclosure, the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is filled with liquid or air so as to increase damping and to reduce damage when the battery package 200 is under shock or vibration. In one example, the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is filled with water. In another example, the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is filled with water containing coolant.

When the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is in a positive pressure environment, it may reduce leaching of exterior ambient substance into the battery package 200. When the cavity 222 of the housing 220 is in a vacuum state (in one example, less than one torr), it may reduce leaching of substance of the battery package 200 into environment.

In examples of the present disclosure, a plurality of inner surfaces of the housing 220 is coated with a layer 271 (shown in dashed line because of being optional) of fire retardant material. A plurality of outer surfaces of the housing 220 is coated with a layer 273 (shown in dashed line because of being optional) of fire retardant material. The fire retardant material may be made of Parylene-F.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a battery package 300 in examples of the present disclosure. The battery package 300 comprises a porous wafer battery 310, a porous two-wafer battery 330, a first slot 371, a second slot 373, a third slot 375, and a housing 320. The porous wafer battery 310 comprises a plurality of pores 312 (shown in dashed lines in a side view plot). Each of the plurality of pores 312 comprises a respective anode and a respective cathode. The porous two-wafer battery 330 comprises a first porous wafer 340 serving as an anode and a second porous wafer 350 serving as a cathode. The first porous wafer 340 comprises a first plurality of pores 342. The second porous wafer 350 comprises a second plurality of pores 352. The housing 320 is shown in transparent. The housing 320 comprises a cavity 322. The porous wafer battery 310 and the porous two-wafer battery 330 are disposed in the cavity 322 of the housing 320. In examples of the present disclosure, the porous wafer battery 310 is of a circular wafer shape. The first porous wafer 340 is of a circular wafer shape. The second porous wafer 350 is of a circular wafer shape. The housing 320 is of a cylinder shape. Each of the first slot 371, the second slot 373, and the third slot 375 is of a circular ring shape or of arc sections of a ring shape.

The porous wafer battery 310 is inserted in the first slot 371. The first porous wafer 340 is inserted in the second slot 373. The second porous wafer 350 is inserted in the third slot 375. A shortest distance 381 between the porous wafer battery 310 and the porous two-wafer battery 330 is larger than a distance 383 between the first porous wafer 340 and the second porous wafer 350.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a battery package 400 in examples of the present disclosure. The battery package 400 comprises a plurality of porous wafer batteries 410, a plurality of slots 470, a heating wafer 451, a cooling wafer 461, and a housing 420. The housing 420 is shown in transparent. The plurality of porous wafer batteries 410, the heating wafer 451, and the cooling wafer 461 are inserted into the plurality of slots 470 respectively. The heating wafer 451 comprises a heating element 453. The heating element 453 may include resistors, a heater or a heat exchanger. The cooling wafer 461 comprising a cooling element 463. The cooling element 463 may include a radiator, a compressor, or a heat sink.

The housing 420 comprises a cavity 422. The cavity 422 of the housing 420 is filled with liquid or air so as to increase damping and to reduce damage when the battery package 400 is under shock or vibration. In one example, the cavity 422 of the housing 420 is filled with water. In another example, the cavity 422 of the housing 420 is filled with water containing coolant. The plurality of porous wafer batteries 410 are sealed. The sealing process may use one or more caps similar to those of U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,639 to Cho, et al. except that no dicing process is needed. The plurality of porous wafer batteries 410 are submerged in the liquid.

In examples of the present disclosure, the battery package 400 further comprises a plurality of spacers 490 (shown in dashed lines because of being optional). Each of the plurality of spacers 490 is between a respective pair of the plurality of slots 470. Each of the plurality of spacers 490 is of a circular ring shape or of arc sections of a ring shape.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a battery package 500 in examples of the present disclosure. The battery package 500 comprises a plurality of porous wafer batteries 510, a plurality of slots 570, a temperature-adjusting wafer 551, and a housing 520. The housing 520 is shown in transparent. The plurality of porous wafer batteries 510 and the temperature-adjusting wafer 551 are inserted into the plurality of slots 570 respectively. The temperature-adjusting wafer 551 comprises a heating element 553 and a cooling element 563. The heating element 553 may include resistors, a heater or a heat exchanger. The cooling element 563 may include a radiator, a compressor, or a heat sink.

In examples of the present disclosure, the housing 520 further comprises an anode tab 527 and a cathode tab 529. The anode tab 527 and the cathode tab 529 are on a same end of the housing 520. The battery package 500 further comprises a first plurality of conductive members 591 and a second plurality of conductive members 593 (shown in dashed lines because of being an example). The first plurality of conductive members 591 connect a respective anode of each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries 510 to the anode tab 527 of the housing 520. A second plurality of conductive members 593 connect a respective cathode of each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries 510 to the cathode tab 529 of the housing 520. The first plurality of conductive members 591 and the second plurality of conductive members 593 may be conductive traces, connectors, or wires.

In examples of the present disclosure, the plurality of porous wafer batteries 510 are configured in parallel in the circuit including the first plurality of conductive members 591 and the second plurality of conductive members 593. Therefore, even the porous wafer battery corresponding to the slot 579 is removed, the battery package 500 is still functioning.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of a battery package 600 in examples of the present disclosure. The battery package 600 comprises a plurality of porous wafer batteries 610, a plurality of slots 670, a cooling wafer 661, and a housing 620. The housing 620 is shown in transparent. The housing 420 comprises a cavity 422. The plurality of slots 670 are attached to an inner surface of the housing 620. The plurality of porous wafer batteries 610 are inserted into the plurality of slots 670 respectively. The cooling wafer 661 comprises a cooling element 663. The cooling element 663 may include a radiator, a compressor, or a heat sink. A majority portion, more than 50%, of the cooling wafer 661 is disposed external to the housing 620. A minority portion, less than 50%, of the cooling wafer is disposed in the cavity 622 of the housing 620. An entirely of the cooling element 663 is disposed external to the housing 620.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of a battery package 700 in examples of the present disclosure. The battery package 700 comprises a plurality of porous wafer batteries 710, a plurality of slot 770, a plurality of cooling wafers 750, and a housing 720. The housing 720 is shown in transparent. The housing 720 comprises a cavity 722. The plurality of porous wafer batteries 710 and the plurality of cooling wafers 750 are inserted into the plurality of slot 770 respectively. The plurality of cooling wafers 750 comprises a first cooling wafer 751 and a second cooling wafer 757. The first cooling wafer 751 comprises a first cooling element 753. The second cooling wafer 757 comprises a second cooling element 759. The first cooling element 753 and the second cooling element 759 may include a radiator, a compressor, or a heat sink.

In examples of the present disclosure, the housing 720 further comprises an anode tab 727 and a cathode tab 729. The anode tab 727 and the cathode tab 729 are on opposite ends of the housing 720 respectively. The battery package 700 further comprises a first plurality of conductive members 791 and a second plurality of conductive members 793 (shown in dashed lines because of being an example). The first plurality of conductive members 791 connect a respective anode of each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries 710 to the anode tab 727 of the housing 720. A second plurality of conductive members 793 connect a respective cathode of each of the plurality of porous wafer batteries 710 to the cathode tab 729 of the housing 720. The first plurality of conductive members 791 and the second plurality of conductive members 793 may be conductive traces, connectors, or wires.

FIG. 8 shows a top view of a porous wafer 810 and a slot 870 in examples of the present disclosure. The porous wafer 810 comprises a plurality of pores 820 and a contact region 811. The plurality of pores 820 are symmetric with respect to a center 831 of the porous wafer 810. The plurality of pores 820 are symmetric with X-axis. The plurality of pores 820 are symmetric with X-axis. In one example, the plurality of pores 820 are of rectangular shapes. In one example, the plurality of pores 820 are of circular shapes. The slot 870 comprises a contact region 871 and a groove 872. In examples of the present disclosure, the contact region 871 of the slot 870 directly contacts the contact region 811 of the porous wafer 810. In one example, a radius of the groove 872 is 1% to 3% smaller than a radius of the porous wafer 810 so that the porous wafer 810 is pressed fitted into the slot 870.

Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein are possible. For example, a number of the plurality of pores may vary. A number of wafers in a battery package may vary. Other modifications may occur to those of ordinary skill in this art, and all such modifications are deemed to fall within the purview of the present invention, as defined by the claims. 

1. A battery package comprising one or more porous wafer batteries; and a housing enclosing the one or more porous wafer batteries.
 2. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the battery package excludes a respective wafer-level sub-housing enclosing each of the one or more porous wafer batteries.
 3. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries comprises a single porous wafer battery comprising a plurality of pores; wherein the battery package excludes an additional porous wafer battery; and wherein each of the plurality of pores comprises a respective anode; and a respective cathode.
 4. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries comprises a single porous two-wafer battery comprising a first porous wafer serving as an anode, the first porous wafer comprising a first plurality of pores; and a second porous wafer serving as a cathode, the second porous wafer comprising a second plurality of pores.
 5. The battery package of claim 1, wherein a plurality of inner surfaces of the housing is coated with a layer of fire retardant material.
 6. The battery package of claim 1 further comprising a heating wafer enclosed by the housing, the heating wafer comprising a heating element.
 7. The battery package of claim 1, further comprising a cooling wafer enclosed by the housing, the cooling wafer comprising a cooling element.
 8. The battery package of claim 1, further comprising a cooling wafer comprising a cooling element; wherein a majority portion of the cooling wafer is disposed external to the housing; and wherein a minority portion of the cooling wafer is disposed in the housing.
 9. The battery package of claim 1, further comprising a temperature-adjusting wafer enclosed by the housing, the temperature-adjusting wafer comprising a heating wafer enclosed by the housing, the heating wafer comprising a heating element; and a cooling wafer enclosed by the housing, the cooling wafer comprising a cooling element.
 10. The battery package of claim 1, wherein an internal volume of the housing is filled with a liquid; and wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries are sealed; and wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries are submerged in the liquid.
 11. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises one or more slots; and wherein each porous wafer of the one or more porous wafers is inserted into a respective slot of the one or more slots.
 12. The battery package of claim 11, wherein each slot of the one or more slots comprises a groove; and wherein a contact region of each porous wafer of the one or more porous wafers is inserted into the groove of the respective slot of the one or more slots.
 13. The battery package of claim 12, wherein a spacer is between a selected slot of the one and more slots and an adjacent slot of the one and more slots.
 14. The battery package of claim 12, wherein the housing further comprises an anode tab; and a cathode tab; and wherein the battery package further comprises a first plurality of conductive members connecting a respective anode of each of the one or more wafer batteries to the anode tab of the housing; and a second plurality of conductive members connecting a respective cathode of each of the one or more wafer batteries to the cathode tab of the housing.
 15. The battery package of claim 1, wherein the one or more porous wafer batteries comprises a porous one-wafer battery comprising a plurality of pores; and a porous two-wafer battery comprising a first porous wafer serving as an anode; and a second porous wafer serving as a cathode; wherein each of the plurality of pores of the porous one-wafer battery comprises a respective anode; and a respective cathode. 